Is true love really hard to find?
by LiveLaughLoveReadForever
Summary: Peeta has grown up with his parents always arguing and fighting and sometimes he begins to think that true love doesn't exist but then he sees the girl he's been in love with his entire life and he begins it's not that hard to find. One-shot.


Disclaimer; I don't own the Hunger Games.

Thirteen year old Peeta, was curled up in a ball in his room. Shouts were heard from downstairs. His parents were arguing. Again. They argued over everything in Peeta's opinion. And not the type of arguing siblings do. The type of arguing that sent pain through Peeta's chest. If one of them handed the other the wrong type of custard while they were baking a heated fight would start.

For the rest of the day there would be silence in the bakery. Peeta's oldest brother would sulk in his room- and if he had to come down to help bake in the kitchen he would never say a word. Peeta silently called it sulking in plain sight. Peeta's other brother would say that he had to go out for whatever reason and leave the bakery, not returning until it was dark outside. At a young age, the young boy had learned three things about what not to do while his parents were fighting. Never, ever try to make them see the other person's side of the argument. Secondly, afterwords you shouldn't try to lighten the mood by doing something. It doesn't work. And lastly-and most importantly- don't try to get them to apologize. It just makes things a whole lot worse.

_What are they fighting about today?_ wondered Peeta as his parents shouts got louder and louder.

"I'm sick of this!" his mom said, "You're an idiot! I shouldn't even be here!"

Peeta sighed. He had heard this speech before. It makes it's way into every single one of his parents arguments.

"Maybe you should leave!" shouted Mr. Mellark.

"You never even loved me! You only loved that lady who married into the Seam!"

"You think that? You wouldn't even be here if that was the case!"

Sadly, Peeta got off of his bed and looked out the window. Today was his day off from the bakery so he could do anything he wanted. But he couldn't go out the door from the bakery. That'd just spark more anger from his parents. Why? Peeta wasn't sure. But it always seemed that way. Turning away from the window Peeta walked back to his bed. There was a large clanking sound and then after a moment of silence the sound of shattering glass.  
What had been broken this time? Peeta wondered, A picture? One of the display cases? They wouldn't break anything that they need for business, would they?

Not that Peeta would ever admit it but these fights made him scared. Scared that one of them would decided that they could stay in the family anymore and leave. Leave Peeta, his brothers, and the other parent alone without them. He was also scared that one of them would lose their temper and hurt the other one. What would happen then? Would the fighting finally stop?

Probably not.

It might stop for a while...it'd be like that time after a war when everyone agrees that the horrors that had just happened should never be repeated but eventually something would set one of them off and then...boom World War III will begin. All that pent up anger that they'd been holding back so that the "war" wouldn't happen would come spilling out...like a dam.

There was silence downstairs. Somebody had left the house. Peeta contemplated on sneaking to the window and glancing outside to see if he could see which one of his parents had left. Peeta's throat tightened and his sight became blurry. Peeta looked up desperately hoping that the tears wouldn't fall. He was able to fight them back for a few moments until he had to blink. As he blinked a single tear rolled down his face. Almost as if it were taunting him. Peeta didn't wipe it away and it continued to slide down his face until it landed on the ground leaving a small round dot mark on the floor. Another tear silently slipped out of the corner of Peeta's eyes. Hoping, that neither of his brothers would walk in the room Peeta also allowed this tear to slide down his face.

True love is false, Peeta thought sourly, It's a feeling that only a few lucky people can experience. I'm never going to fall in love. I'm not. But what about-? Nope!

Crawling back to the window Peeta glanced out it once again. But instead of seeing an empty street Peeta saw the small form of Katniss Everdeen. As soon as he saw the dark-haired girl his heart leapt and he felt surge of happiness. Just like he did every time he saw her and even when he heard her name.

Maybe just maybe...true love isn't that hard to find.


End file.
